


Misplaced Reality

by RavenShira



Series: Causing Chaos with Clashing Clans - Warring State Drama [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Rinnegan, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-19
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-07-14 13:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16041425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenShira/pseuds/RavenShira
Summary: Kaguya is gone, the battle finally won. Sakura would like to think they had managed the impossible, but then her idiot teammates get into a fight and Sakura gets a first hand experience that there were still things she hadn't thought possible, but clearly should have considered as viable when her Team gets involved.Sakura only wanted a bath, food and sleep. Not necessarily in that order, but a tiny mishap between two fighting kage-level shinobi managed to misplace her in the middle of nowhere.Or: Where Sakura gets teleported to a different dimension by accident. There are Uchihas and there are Senjus and Sakura is less than impressed by both.





	1. Of ending wars and Uchihas

She could see the lightning sparking in Sasuke's hand and the blue orb swirling in Naruto's. It was like a deja vu from the past, when they had tried to kill each other on the rooftop and Sakura had only been able to stand there and scream for them to stop.

 

Not anymore. She was exhausted, her chakra supply nearly depleted from healing and they had just finished the battle with Kaguya and somehow, by some miracle won.

 

Then Sasuke had put her under a genjutsu and now her boys were fighting, trying to kill each other and Sakura was done. She was so done, and she couldn't think beyond wanting a bath, some sleep and maybe something to eat.

 

“ **SHANNARO!** ”

 

In hindsight, jumping between her crazy teammates and their stupid techniques was probably the least intelligent thing she could have come up with. As earth splintered around her fist with a tiny release of chakra she could see Naruto's eyes widen as he redirected his strike to the side, but Sasuke...

 

Lightning hit her shoulder with force, even though Sasuke's Rinnegan widened and a tear in the fabric appeared to save her, but it was too late as her flesh sizzled and burned and agony made her nearly pass out. There was a ripping sensation when Sasuke's fist retracted, the smell of blood gushing and the sensation of falling.

 

She hit the ground hard enough to drive the rest of the air out of her, choking as she curled up around her wound on the ground, ribs aching from the fall. Dust clogged her lungs and she hacked as she tried to get air back where it belonged. Her hands glowed green, the chakra flickering as she tried to heal her shoulder as best as she could through the pain.

 

Once she was sure she wouldn't bleed out or die from the wound, she stopped. Her body was sweat soaked and shaking. Slowly she uncurled her body, wincing at the pain she could still feel. Being hit by lightning messed with her nerves, something she would have to fix in addition to healing her shoulder and her probably bruised ribs. Sakura gritted her teeth as she slowly sat up into a sitting position. If she got her fingers on her idiot teammates she would...

 

She blinked, looking around.

 

Speaking of teammates... where were they? Heart pounding, Sakura quickly looked around. There were trees, familiar old trees, so she must be _somewhere_ in Fire-Country. That alone was strange enough, since the battle had taken place at the Valley of the End.

 

Sakura rubbed her hand over her tired face.

 

“What the hell...” She muttered and silently cursed the Rinnegan for the predicament she had been placed in. Of all the places to be teleported to, Sasuke had decided to put her in the middle of nowhere.

 

So much for a goddamn bath, a meal or a secure place to sleep.

 

Wincing, Sakura slowly managed to stand up. She looked down at herself and let out a sigh. Clothing ripped, no supplies, blood all over her, hair in disarry.... not even her shinobi vest or headband had survived. She wobbled on her feet as she leaned against he next tree. She looked upwards through the canopy, seeing stars glimmering in the distance between the leaves. Night time? How strange... it had been morning when Sakura had interfered and she didn't think she had been unconscious for a long time.

 

“I'm going to kill them.” She cursed lowly to herself. “Kill them, then bring them back and kill them again. Painfully.”  
  


She would need shelter. Once her strength was back, she would figure out where she was and then she could hunt those idiots down again and make them regret getting between her and bathtime.

 

Even just moving away from her tree was painful and exhausting. Carefully she picked her way through the forest. Her shoulder hurt, not fully healed yet and she stumbled more often than not. Roots seemed keen on tripping her up and by the time she finally found a cave, her vision was swimming. She crawled inside, thanking every deity she knew – except Kaguya – that it wasn't otherwise occupied and curled up on the slightly damp ground. She was asleep before she fully settled.

 

The next day she felt marginally better. She was still dirty – even more so now than before after spending the night on muddy ground – still hungry and hurt, but at least she had a mostly clear head and some of her chakra had recovered in the hours she spend sleeping. The sun was just rising over the horizon, filtering through the trees as Sakura crawled out of her hiding place. Her throat was parched and since getting rid of the grime and dirt was another priority, Sakura went to look for water first. Anything eatable along the way was picked up and either devoured at once or, if it was nuts, stored away in her only remaining pocket for later. Once she came upon a river and made sure nothing was about to jump her, she selected a mostly hidden spot to clean herself up quickly and quench her thirst. Her clothes were almost beyond salvaging, but Sakura didn't have anything else on herself and being in scraps was still better than going around naked.

 

Sighing she tried to clean out the worst of the blood, before giving up and laying her things into the sun to dry.

 

It was oddly peaceful and after the battle – the war really – it was... disconcerting. It almost felt wrong and Sakura hated that she couldn't simply enjoy the sun on her bare skin, the sound of the water tickling by and birds starting up their songs as time passed.

 

It was surreal that they had one and Sakura was still alert for things to go wrong. While she had healed the rest of her wounds, she had been careful not to spend too much. Her shoulder was still a bit stiff, but using chakra to deal with that wouldn't help that much. It was better to let the rest of it heal on its own. Waste of her chakra when it might be needed for the severely wounded that were surely being carted off the battlefield would be unforgivable. At least to her own standards.

 

Distant sounds – not nature sounds but humans fighting and weapons clanging – froze her for a moment before she scrambled to put her clothes back on. Still slightly wet, she disappeared between the trees for shelter, before heading in the direction of the sound.

 

Whatever she expected to find... it was not five adults surrounding a kid no older than seven years old, clearly hurt and desperate as he looked around for an escape. One of the adults chuckled coldly, a sword tapping on the shoulder in relaxed mockery.

 

“Sorry, kid.” The man said, leaning forward a little, sword rising and turning towards the child. “That's the end for you.”

 

Sakura didn't know these people but... they were shinobi and just a few hours ago they had fought side by side. How? How had it come to _this_? They were  allies!! The battle just ended, how could they justify this?!

Sakura could see him drawing back his arm for a swing, the angle of the sword just so that there was nowhere to dodge. A sword wound from this distance on such a small child would be fatal.

 

Like. Hell. Was. She. Letting. Him. Kill that kid.

 

She could see one of them – a sensor? - turn around as her chakra spiked in rage, but it was already too late. Her fist collided with the ground, the earth exploding around her, screams of surprise followed and she could hear them scrambling to find their balance as she rushed past. She might not be as fast as others, but keeping up with Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi made her at least faster than most. She was past them before the dust settled, picked up the kid before he realized what was happening and shunshined away before the enemy could get their bearings.

 

She raced through the trees with single minded purpose, the small weight she was carrying barely hindering her. Only once she was sure they didn't have any pursuers did she slow down and finally stop. Carefully she put the kid on the ground. A small boy with messy black hair, as Sakura noticed in shock. Black, beady eyes were glaring at her suspiciously as he wobbled a step back, crying out in pain as his numerous wounds made themselves noticed and crumbling to the ground before Sakura could catch him.

 

“ _Oh._ ” she faintly said as she stared at him. He looked... familiar. Like Sasuke. But different. Years younger, but definitely an Uchiha.

 

“Who are you?” the little kid pressed out, clutching a kunai close even as Sakura slowly crouched down beside him. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. Another Uchiha? One Sasuke had not been aware of, one that had almost been killed? How?

 

“I...” she felt wrong-footed, but the kid was in pain and while he was trying to hide it, Sakura was a medic nin with no patience for false bravado.

 

“I'm a medic.” she finally said because she doubted he would recognize her name. Her hands flared green, showing him the chakra welling up before slowly, carefully reaching out. She didn't want to spook him and his shivering body reminded her of that of a scared animal, cornered and ready to bite. Even with the slow approach he flinched back, eyes wide with fear and suspicion.

 

“I mean no harm.” Sakura gently told him, trying to calm him down. He stilled, wearily, but once her chakra made contact with one of his wounds his eyes widened in genuine surprise and relief. She first closed the worst cuts, feeling herself relax once she was sure he wouldn't bleed out on her.

 

“What's your name?” the kid asked, while he watched her care for his wounds. His tense stance had relaxed a little, since enemies would hardly bother to heal him.

 

“Sakura Haruno...” she answered him, ignoring his doubtful stare.

 

“What is yours?” She asked instead, while inspecting his leg. Twisted ankle, easy enough to fix.

 

“... Katsuo.” no last name was given, but with Sasuke on her team she didn't have a doubt.

 

“Victory, hm?” she mused. “Your parents sure have high expectations of you.”

 

He was silent and her chakra slowly subsided.

 

“Any other wounds you are hiding, little warrior?” he scowled at her, which made her smile. He looked so much like the Sasuke from the academy that Sakura felt her heart twist at the sight.

 

“Do you know your way home?” She asked instead and the boy scoffed at her, though he seemed friendlier now that the danger had passed and his pain a faded memory.

 

“I will find my way back.” he said confidently and grinned up at her. “Thank you for your assistance, medic-san!”

 

Unable to help herself, Sakura poked him on the forehead, snickering at his startled look.

 

“Be careful on your way home...!” she said, eyes warming as he beamed at her.

 

And maybe she carefully stalked him until she was sure he wasn't running into another ambush.

 

From a distance she thoughtfully watched as another black haired shinobi embraced the young boy desperately, crying in relief and scolding him in equal turns, even as the small boy gestured wildly as he probably recounted his tale. She didn't know what he said but...

 

He, too, was definitely an Uchiha.

 

Something was very clearly wrong. Swallowing hard, Sakura scaled a tree. The surroundings were... familiar, yet not. The landscape was different, but if she was right, she was only a few hours away from Konoha.

 

With a bad feeling sinking into her gut Sakura started to run into the direction she needed to go. She would get there and would be able to put all her worries aside. Maybe she could tell Sasuke about the young boy. Maybe she had been wrong and they were simply very similar to her teammate.

 

Several hours later Sakura stood on top of a tree, holding on to its branches as she stared in silent disbelief.

 

Trees. Trees upon trees and a bare, faceless cliff-side where her village was supposed to be.

 

Maybe... maybe Sakura was still dreaming.

 

Or maybe Sasuke knew she would kill him the next time she saw him and had preemptively acted to save his own, miserable existence.

 

Konoha didn't exist.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No clue where this story will go exactly but I hope you enjoy it anyways :)


	2. Of shelter and supplies

Sakura's first reaction to not seeing a village where it was supposed to be was to break out into laughter. Desperate laughter, but laughter nonetheless. Clearly she was... caught in a genjutsu. Or something.

 

She would burst Sasuke's balls if that was his idea of being funny.

 

Her second reaction – after affirming that she actually wasn't caught in a sharingan induced hell – was to curl up at the base of the tree and put her head between her knees as she hyperventilated. Her thoughts were buzzing past at lightning speed. A litany of: What if-, How could-, Why me-

 

Finally, after she somehow managed to calm down from the panic attack that left her shaking, sore and weak with tears blotching her face and hair in disarray, Sakura leant back and looked up through the canopy of leaves at the open sky. Pink clouds curled across the sky, indicating the setting sun.

 

Wiping the wetness from her face Sakura gathered her shaking limbs underneath her. With the help of the tree she managed to stand up. Her body still felt numb, exhausted from her emotional breakdown.

 

She had just won a war. This was supposed to be her time to take a break and heal as many people as possible, before they would concentrate on rebuilding. She would have her home, her bed, her clothes, her bathroom with warm, clean water and a kitchen with plentiful of food.

 

Instead here she was. Weaponless aside from a single kunai, clothes almost ripped beyond repair, hanging on her body by a thread and having to find water to take an icy bath.

 

She was alone. Utterly alone and it terrified her just as much as not knowing where or even _when_ she was.

 

Taking a deep, shaky breath Sakura contemplated the situation she was now in.

 

First order of business: She would need shelter. A defensible position that would act as her hide-out, which would be easy to camouflage.

 

Then she needed supplies. She was woefully underprepared for being stuck alone in a place that she might now consider enemy territory instead of home. She would need clothes – several sets for different weather conditions – and things for basic care, cooking supplies, or at least a bucket for water and a few containers to safely store food in.

 

Rubbing a hand over her tired face Sakura felt a headache start to build up in her temples. Now that she knew where she approximately was, she knew a few hiding places in the area. At least she hoped so, since that, too, might have changed.

 

Her feet dragged over the ground as she stumbled forward. Her stomach rumbled unhappily, but she didn't have the energy to care about that. She needed a safe place. Then she would rest. After that she would get some food and start to plan.

 

Her mind spun as she remembered the layout she was used to. Maybe she could go to one of the nearby towns. If they existed. The lack of Konoha made her falter in the knowledge she used to have, unsure as to what was still true and what was not.

 

Still... these were problems for another day.

 

When Sakura finally found a cave halfway up the bare Hokage mountain, she decided it would be the perfect place for her to live in. Hidden between stones there was a gap, big enough for one or two people to step through easily, yet hidden due to its convoluted stones. The cave behind was not the biggest, but Sakura would be able to expand it a bit with careful use of doton jutsu. She might even be able to create a little platform outside. Hopefully she could capture some rainwater that way, but if there wasn't she knew of a steam that wasn't that far away, even if it would be annoying to have to carry the water back and forth. It was empty, apart from a few bats that fled the place with high-pitched chirps. It was also dark and it was safe, for now. Sakura didn't care for much else currently, curling up in a corner. It was dry. She would make it her home, her base. Maybe later on she would find another, more practical spot, where water was more accessible but this would be her heaven, the place she could retreat to if she was in dire need.

 

Sakura closed her eyes, drifting off to the image of trees stretching out below her for as far as her eyes could see.

 

Ⓜⓘⓢⓟⓛⓐⓒⓔⓓ ❀ Ⓡⓔⓐⓛⓘⓣⓨ

 

The next day was dreary. Thick clouds were gathering, piling on top of each other in tones of grey, white and almost black. Sakura looked up at the sky and let out a sigh, because naturally even the universe would conspire against her when she was already in need of assistance. For a moment she considered just holing up in her little cave, but the growling of her stomach made her reconsider. Instead she decided to try and be as quick as possible. There was a town that hadn't been far away from Konoha. Maybe it still existed. She would also need to get some food and some dry wood before the storm hit.

 

Since wood and food was the more pressing matter, she decided to try and get both done at the same time. Armed with her single kunai she went out to look for some wood to carry back to the cave, piling the logs in her arms. Right now she considered herself lucky for her superior strength, since otherwise she would have needed several more trips to get all the wood up to the hide-out. By the time she had enough firewood to last her for roughly three days, she had also managed to capture two bunnies and killed a bird with her kunai to cook for dinner. Never before had she been glad that Team seven had to capture Tora as many times as when she had tried and succeeded in capturing the bunnies. It was lucky that she didn't need any cages. There was nowhere to run for the little fur-balls, and as cute as Sakura found them, her survival instinct told her that it was better to have some fresh food running around her cave than starve to death if the storm was going to hold up for a few days. Thankfully rabbits were easy to feed so she would be able to keep them alive with some grass and leaves. Hopefully.

 

Sitting in the cave while eating some more berries and nuts, Sakura considered the little creatures cowering in a shadowed corner of the cave and tried to ignore the guilty feeling rising up in her chest.

 

Only in emergencies, she told herself firmly.

 

Hearing the pitter-patter of the rain, Sakura decided to stay inside the cave. It wouldn't do to catch a cold on top of everything, not when she was alone and already vulnerable.

 

Ⓜⓘⓢⓟⓛⓐⓒⓔⓓ ❀ Ⓡⓔⓐⓛⓘⓣⓨ

 

The storm lasted for two days. Two days in which Sakura stayed in the cave and only stretched her arms out when she was thirsty, gathering some rainwater in her hands to drink.

 

On the third evening the weather finally cleared up. The two rabbits had gotten more used to her presence, but still kept their distance. Sakura was glad to finally be able to get out of the dark cave and stretch her limbs. Outside it was beautiful. The forest glimmered as the sun hit the droplets clinging to the leaves, the air was fresh and clear and only the sounds of birds and other animals disturbed the silence.

 

It would have been beautiful... but Sakura missed having someone to talk to.

 

As the sun slowly set, Sakura jumped from tree to tree. There had to be some civilisation. The first time she saw what was probably supposed to be a road but looked more like a dirt track someone had tried to clear, she could have cried in relief. At least there were humans around somewhere and she wasn't totally alone wherever Sasuke had brought her. Following the trail hidden in the trees it still took a long time until she finally reached the border of a really small settlement. She wasn't sure if she could call it a town. There were seven houses in total and a small shrine further away, but at least people lived here. She could see light flickering in the windows, but the little street that led through the place was deserted. A fence surrounded the place, shabby looking and probably more to keep animals at bay than anything else.

 

The sun had set by the time Sakura approached the settlement, the street dark and colours fading without any light source. The moon was waning and didn't have the full strength to illuminate the area. Sakura carefully crept through he place, feeling guilty as she picked some clothes that were still damp from a cloth-line (and the cloth-line itself because it could be useful). She also grabbed two buckets and an axe that were lying around. Anything useful she could carry she took with her. She did try not to take too much, but survival was her first priority and these people would hopefully be able to live without some of the things she picked up. A knife here, a rope there, little things that would make her own life much easier.

 

Silent as a spectre she disappeared with her acquisitions with no one the wiser.

 

Her cave became much more comfortable. She managed to cordon a small area with some trunks so the rabbits wouldn't run wild in the cave anymore. It would be easier to clean up too.

 

Two buckets she filled with water, another one was placed outside the cave in case it rained some more.

 

It was a relief to finally be able to get out of her old clothing and slip into the comfortable, soft and _clean_ clothes she had managed to steal. She still felt guilty, but surely the person she had taken them from would have more clothing than she did and hopefully they wouldn't begrudge her that one hakama and haori she had taken.

 

It was only the next day when the sun was up that she realized that she had stolen from a priestess.

 

“Aaw.” she groaned as she stared down at the – for fighting unpractical – red hakama and hid her face in her hands.

 

“I'm going to hell. I'm a horrible person.” peaking between her fingers she looked at the deep red that seemed to glow in the morning sun. Somehow she couldn't help but feel a little relief at the familiar colour, even if the outfit wasn't ideal. She would have to make adjustments. But now she didn't look like something that crawled out of a swamp after a fierce battle with the swamp monster.

 

She despised having to steal... but being a miko was a good cover as any. While Sakura didn't plan on trying to be a traditional miko, Sakura could get behind being a travelling healer wearing a miko outfit. It would make her more approachable, and hopefully more trustworthy. If she could trade medicine to the villages around...

 

Cracking her knuckles Sakura looked over the area that was once her beloved village. Time to get working then.

 

The next few days Sakura spend hunting for herbs and more storable food. She fed the rabbits and cleaned the cave. She even managed to carefully expand the hide-out so she could comfortably stand in it and have some sort of shelves to put her stuff in. The herbs she hung up on the stolen cloth-line outside her cave, while a few other she laid out to dry on the small stone platform she had managed to raise with a few tries at a doton jutsu.

 

It was slow-going but Sakura endured it with single minded purpose. From her old clothes she managed to make a make-shift bag and a few smaller pouches. It would do for now. The herbs went into the pouches and the pouches into the bag. She would get something better soon. But for now she was ready to approach the settlements she had found. For now she would stick to the closest ones and try to get a general idea of the situation. She needed to know the date, what happened to the major villages and how to get some money to buy essentials.

 

It was also when she realized that there were no hidden villages.

 

Sakura had stared at the man that had looked at her strangely when she had asked the date.

 

“Are you okay?” he had asked her in concern and she had simled an empty smile to reassure.

 

“I'm fine...” she said as her mind whirred around the fact that she hadn't simply been rumped in a different dimension, but in a different time to boot.

 

She finished her business in the settlement with mechanic movements as she tried to come to grips with that knowledge.

 

It explained so much. She witnessed battles. Often times she stumbled over corpses, young children she was too late to save. It made her sick and angry at the violence she was forced to witness but unable to stop.

 

This was the warring state era she had only read up on in books. A timeline in which kids were forced to kill in order to survive, but only the strongest managed that. It was the time in which her first village-leader Hashirama and his... friend or nemesis Madara had battled it out before forming the first village.

 

She felt dizzy with the realisation, cold fear settling into her bones. How would she hold up against legends like that? What if she changed things and the villages would never be? What would happen to her friends in the future? Or was this a separate dimension after all?

 

So many questions and no answers. She had no way to go back to her time or her dimension, not without the rinnegan and approaching the Uchiha during this time seemed unthinkable. They would probably kill her before she could utter a word. Her hand clutched at her shoulder, phantom pain tingling at the spot that had scarred over, first red, now slowly turning white. A spider-web of still lightning embedded in her skin to remember the pain of the chidori ripping into her.

 

“Death is too easy...” she muttered angrily to herself on the way back to her cave. She felt tired, listless almost. Would she get back to everything she knew? Or would she be stuck here, in this strange era where she didn't know anyone and everybody mistrusted strangers?

 

Rubbing at her prickling eyes Sakura clenched her hands into fists, setting her jaw stubbornly. There had to be a way. It might take some time for her to find it, but finding it she would.

 

Until then she had work to do. She would need another shelter soon, one that was closer to water. It would be better to have more than one hiding place in case the one she used was discovered. And maybe she could try and build herself a home that people could approach her in, so she wouldn't have to rely on going to all the settlements herself.

 

She snorted.

 

What she wouldn't give to have Yamato's gift of Mokuton right now.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it. I know it wasn't the most exciting chapter but if you have read any of my other stories: I'm slow with the build up and Sakura getting sort of settled is important plot wise.
> 
> Not having the easiest time right now so bear with me being slow in updating.


	3. Of budding trust and making friends

Slowly but surely Sakura managed to gather the essentials she would need in order to survive. At first she had been dragging her feet unconsciously, waiting for a portal to open up and swallow her whole, bringing her back home. As time went on and hope diminished, she tried to keep herself busy. Over the next few days that were quickly turning into weeks and then months she kept herself occupied with gathering herbs, making rudimentary medicine with the tools she had at her disposal. Quite a few trips took her to various smaller settlements in the area, some of which where as far away as two days of travel.

 

Medicine was something people didn't seem have a lot of in this time. It was highly sought after, yet at the same time viewed with great suspicion. Sakura stayed patient and with time it paid off. At first she only sold herbs. From the money she bought needle and thread, bandages and small containers. A mortar and pistil was also something she invested in, as it made it much easier to grind the herbs for her remedies. There were various tools she would need sooner or later, for herself or others.

 

Once people in the few settlements she had approached relaxed and viewed her as more or less trustworthy she started to offer her self-made medicine to the people. It wasn't much and she didn't yet dare to use her chakra, but since her remedies seemed to work for whatever ailments she tired to cure, people slowly started to approach her on their own. She didn't charge large sums for her services. Sometimes she didn't even ask for money. Some people offered her food, others offered her things she needed. Blankets, a bag, warmer clothes for cold days, candles, a lamp. Her cave slowly became almost cozy, and while it wasn't home in any way, Sakura could say she would be able to survive now.

 

With needle and thread she adjusted the hakama and haori until it was comfortable to use in a fight. It took her a while. She could sew wounds meticulously, but stitching clothes and creating hidden pockets for weapons and poisons and antidotes was something else entirely, something she had never spend much thought on. In Konoha she had been able to buy her clothes already ready made. The haori she simply bound with a cord in the almost familiar style of tasuki, something her mother had taught her as a small child, back when Sakura hadn't yet decided to become a kunoichi. It was efficient and didn't hamper her movement and kept the long sleeves of the haori out of the way, yet could be released quickly enough if it got cold enough for her to need to cover her arms.

 

She didn't feel as vulnerable anymore. While she didn't have a lot of weapons – most were knifes civilians used with the occasional kunai or shuriken she found from old battlefields – her chakra levels had replenished and with the poisons she created and carried with her ready to be used she felt more comfortable walking around on her own.

 

During all this time she tried to avoid getting in contact with other shinobi. Somehow she held onto the hope that a portal would open up again and swallow her whole, return her to the place she _belonged_. The longer she was in this era though, the more her hope dwindled. It was through sheer stubbornness that she didn't allow herself to wallow in self-pity, to hole herself up in her little cave and curl up to have a good cry. She tried her best to shove any thoughts of what-ifs aside, it wouldn't do her any favors to dwell on it, which is why she put all her strength into her survival and acquiring information of the time she found herself an unwilling guest in.

 

The first thing she quickly noticed was that civilians abhorred the shinobi. In a way, Sakura could understand them. Battles broke out frequently, destroyed carefully plowed fields or ran rampant through the small towns. Shinobi raided settlements to restock their supplies and the poverty that seemed to spread all around forced people to abandon their homes or become bandits themselves.

 

To Sakura, who had grown up during peace and with the obligation of protecting the civilians of Konoha, it was a culture shock she hadn't been prepared for. It was also the reason she had quickly decided that using her chakra would draw undue attention to her. She neither wanted the villagers that she depended on to survive to start and avoid her nor did she want to draw the attention of the clans with her apparently rare ability to heal. She was alone after all, and having a whole clan hunt her down for her skills was the last thing she needed.

 

That changed during her third, almost the fourth month of being in this strange, familiar place. Sakura made her trip to one of the settlements that were further away. Her rabbits had been supplied with a lot of fresh food and water that would tide them over for at least a week, so she was confident to travel the streets almost leisurely. She kept close to cover, just because she was more confident in her ability to defend herself didn't mean that she had to challenge her luck.

 

Even as she entered she noticed the lack of people on the streets. Casting a weary eye over the houses she noted with relief that in quite a few of them, the lights were flickering. It was midday, so there should have been people on the street and the lights in the houses didn't make much sense. Cautiously she approached a door, one hand lingering close to her weapons even as she knocked on the door. At first, she didn't get a reaction, but after her third knock, the door slowly inched open, a young, tired-looking mother peeking out, a baby in her arm. She had dark circles beneath her eyes and worry-lines marking her exhausted face. Upon seeing Sakura the door opened wide open.

 

“Miko-sama!” The woman exclaimed, her eyes tearing up much to Sakura's bewilderment.

 

“Hitomi?” She asked the woman that she had given some tea to settle the nausea she had been plagued by even during the last stages of her pregnancy.

 

“What is going on? Where are all the people?” Sakura asked as she was ushered into the home.

 

“Everyone stays at home...” Hitomi whispered fearfully, rocking the little babe on her arms “A curse is spreading in the village, so people are afraid to step outside...” Her lips wobbled, but she managed to compose herself with a worried look towards a closed door. “My... my Hitoshi...”

 

A sob tore out but Hitomi bit her lip, glancing down at the little babe in her arms to see if it was still sleeping.

 

“Please, Miko-sama. Please, my son, please help him!” She begged, clutching her little babe closer.

 

Sakura felt the calm mindset of being a medic come over her. The babe seemed fine and she knew that the little one was a female that was named Hanako.

 

“I'll try my best.” Sakura offered, not promising that she would be able to save Hitoshi but she would do her utmost. It was hard to treat wounds without the equipment and advanced machines she was used to, but thankfully Tsunade hadn't been a slacker when she had taught Sakura. She knew how to diagnose most illnesses, knew how to treat them in various different ways and hopefully it would be enough in this case. Hitomi's shoulders slumped in relief, a shaky smile on her lips.

  
“I couldn't ask for more, but we don't have a doctor... all I could do was try and keep the fever down.”

 

“What other things did you notice?” Sakura asked as she opened the door to the room, Hitomi hovering just outside. A wise choice, because a small baby shouldn't be close to someone this ill. The little boy was sleeping in the bed was covered in several blankets and clothing. His labored breathing and sweaty skin was the first thing Sakura noticed. The room was sweltering hot with a fire burning, yet he still shivered in his sleep. Sakura carefully brushed a hand over his head, grimacing at the fever that raged in the small body. Her hands carefully ran over her patient, feeling for symptoms without the use of chakra under the careful eyes of the worried mother. Her fingers carefully ran along his throat, noting the swollen glands in the neck and the paleness of his skin.

 

Her fingers carefully circled around his wrist, pressing gently on the pulse points as she counted out the too fast heartbeat.

 

“He has trouble breathing and swallowing.” the mother whispered in the silence as Sakura slowly opened the mouth of the kid. Her mouth formed a thin, firm line at the thick grey coating she could see in the throat.

 

Diphtheria. And one that had already progressed further than Sakura liked.

 

She didn't have the antitoxin for this disease. She had some medicine that acted like antibiotics and would help. But the toxin...

 

Well... she could probably treat the illness with her chakra. But...

  
Sakura looked back at the civilian woman that was rocking her baby and shooting hopeful glances in her direction every now and then.

 

Rubbing at her neck Sakura cursed her soft heart.

 

“I need a bowl of clean water and another empty one.” She told Hitomi firmly. “Another bucket with several stripes of clothes. We need to keep the fever down.”

 

Hitomi stared at Sakura, even as the medic tied her sleeves back up with the thin red cord she carried with her. Another stripe of cloth she used to bind back her hair.

 

“Now.” she said sternly when she didn't hear any movement for another moment. Hurried footsteps and the clanging of pots had Sakura breath out in relief, even as she quickly used a burst of chakra to clean her hands before the woman could come back.

 

Hitomi returned first with a bucket of water, then in quick succession with the filled and empty bowls. Seeing her hover Sakura was struck by an inspiration and turned to kneel at the little boy's side.

 

“Leave and close the door. Don't enter until I come and get you. I will pray for your child and if the gods are willing, he will be saved.” Sakura said softly. Hitomi hesitated and Sakura looked back at her with a reassuring smile.

 

“Trust me.” She said. “No god wishes for the death of a child, even if it's sometimes unpreventable. They will show mercy.”

 

Hitomi bit her lip, staring at her little boy. Then she bowed, tears running down her cheeks.

 

“Thank you, Miko-sama.” She choked out. Sakura could hear the door close behind her. She waited for another few seconds, readying the bowls to begin the process of extracting the toxins from the child. Being a Miko could be her cover. Maybe that way she could keep the use of her chakra a secret if she claimed that the miracle healing was the will of a god instead of her future knowledge being put to good use.

 

With practiced ease, she pulled out a few herbs that she sprinkled into water to cook over the fire. It would help fight back the infection later on. On a hunch – seeing how few people had been out and about – she brewed enough for several infected patients. She would need to restock her supplies later on.

 

Casting a last glance back to the door, Sakura turned back to her patient. Her hand dipped into the bowl of clean water before flaring green as she drew the fluid out to hover above the child. In deep concentration Sakura set to work, sweat starting to glimmer on her bow. From the heat in the room or from concentration, she couldn't tell.

 

Hitoshi's diphtheria was already at an advanced stage and Sakura had to be meticulous as she drew out the toxin and parts of the sickness. It was an arduous and lengthy process, but Sakura didn't give up. She knew she could heal the child. After a few hours, Sakura leaned back, wiping her face with a cloth before using some more strips of cloth to gently wipe the sweat off the skin of the kid and put some cold compresses on his forehead. The fever would break. She smiled when she saw his eyelids flutter, a glimmer of brown peeking out as he groggily stared at her.

 

“Hello,” Sakura whispered softly, then turned and called out louder.

 

“Hitomi... you can come in now.”

 

The door opened nearly immediately. Upon seeing her child alive and awake, blinking into the light of the doorway Hitomi started to cry and rushed to Hitoshi's side.

 

“Oh thank the gods!” she whispered, stroking his cheeks and beaming at her confused child.

 

“Miko-sama. I don't...!” Hitoshi looked up from where she was clutching her kid, unable to let go for fear of him slipping into unconsciousness again.

 

“Kaa-san?” Hitoshi asked, voice still rough but still feeling better than the previous days if the way he blinked in confusion was anything to go by.

 

“He's going to be fine. Put the pillows and blankets in boiling water for-” she hesitated. So far she hadn't seen any clocks, so she didn't know how most people counted the time in this era.

 

“For?” the woman asked, clearly willing to do anything Sakura asked of her. The healer sighed.

 

“During the time you ready the meals. Just keep the blankets and pillows in the boiling water for a while. Not anywhere close to the food though.” Sakura hoped that would be long enough. She went over to the fire and poured some of the tea into a cup that sat at the bedside.

 

“Let him drink this while it's hot,” she added. She would need to reheat the tea for the other patients around.

 

“Thank you, Miko-sama,” Hitomi whispered again, pressing a kiss to Hitoshi's forehead as she took the cup from Sakura's outstretched hand.

 

“I don't know what to give you for your services,” Hitomi whispered as she wrung out a cloth. “Anything you want, take it.” Sakura knew that Hitomi had lost her husband and was just scraping by with what she had to care for her children. She would feel bad if she took from the mother but when Sakura had tried to offer her the tea for free, Hitomi had been quite insistent. Sakura would feel bad if she took more than Hitomi could give, especially with two small children to look after.

 

“I really don't...” Sakura tried but Hitomi shook her dark brown hair wildly.

 

“You saved my child,” Hitomi said passionately. “There is nothing in this world I wouldn't give for the gift you have bestowed on me. I insist.”

 

Seeing the determination in Hitomi's face, Sakura sighed and looked around. Her eyes fell on a small wooden bead on the table, polished but simple. She took it and held it up.

 

“This,” she said, much to Hitomi's confusion.

 

“But...” Hitomi shook her head in confusion. “This is only a wooden bead. It isn't worth anything.”

 

Sakura smiled, pulling off the stripe of cloth that had kept her hair back and carefully gathered the pink strands in her hand. She slipped the bead on and enjoyed that it kept the fringe out of her eyes.

 

“I like it. Really, there is no need to give me more.” Sakura grinned, stretching her arms above her head “You just care for your kids. I was happy I could help.”

 

Feeling a little exhausted from the healing Sakura sat down in one of the creaky chairs.

 

“And call me Sakura.”

 

Hitomi was the first person in the village that Sakura told her name. To all the others – remembering how shinobi rarely used their last names during the warring era – she had simply said she was a traveling Miko, selling her services.

 

“S-Sakura-sama.”

 

Sakura sighed tiredly but relented, more because Hitomi already looked uncomfortable addressing her by name and not a title – even if Sakura wasn't a real Miko. This would be tedious.

 

She didn't say no to the cup of tea Hitomi offered, taking a moment to rest before she stood up. If there was a 'curse' on the village, then it was very likely that Hitoshi wasn't the only one that had fallen ill. While Sakura didn't offer her services for free – most of the time – she would have her work cut out for her if this really was an epidemic.

 

She knew she had to be careful, that maybe someone curious would open the door to take a peak and see her using chakra. That word might spread, people might seek her out or even demand her services. Or worse, that people might blame her for illnesses breaking out, for her not being able to heal someone, for wanting revenge for some unfounded reason.

 

And yet, Sakura simply couldn't stand the thought of stepping aside, ducking her head and keeping a low profile. Not while she could help, not when she had given an oath to protect.

 

They might not be Konoha citizens. Konoha might not exist.

 

But they might become one of the people that would lead to her generation being born. Any person lost could mean irreparable harm coming to the people she loved but that weren't born yet.

 

She wouldn't risk it. Maybe her presence here was never meant to be, but _what if it was??_

 

And thus she stayed in the village, looking after the ill and taking what she needed, but still trying to not take too much. She was uncomfortable with the stares of adoration, even though in her timeline there had been people like that too, who had admired her strength and her ability to heal. Not like this though. These people were so genuinely thankful for her work, offered their last scraps as rewards and whispered her name as if she had suddenly become something otherworldly.

 

Maybe she was.

 

She didn't belong here after all.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this mostly finished for a while and decided to finally put my behind on finishing that chapter.
> 
> I think I have her established in the new timeline. Sort of. Guess it's about time she gets to meet some familiar faces soon?? We shall see!


	4. Of clashing clans and good intentions

Much to her chagrin her reputation had spread. At least among civilians. She was received into villages much more kindly, offered things more freely in return for her services and was generally eyed with less suspicion. She had gained several monikers, some she liked, others she was uncomfortable with but would endure. Her time her had to be limited after all. Miko-hime, Himiko, Child Saviour, Sakura-sama, Healing Witch and Guardian Angel were just some of the many, but the most prominently used ones. It was a well known secret that she had a soft spot for children and would at least _try_ to heal them no matter the reward. She had also made it abundantly clear that she wouldn't heal every scrap, would resort to normal medicine and bandages first before using her 'miracle power'. She rarely resorted to chakra at all, preferring to mend a broken bone the old-fashioned way. It was safer for her, and maybe some of her patients would learn to be more careful with the longer period of time it took to heal. Civilians had that luxury. Shinobi needed to be battle-ready as soon as possible but... that was in the future.

 

And yet, the villagers closed up around other strangers, grew close lipped about answering questions on any healers around and would block her from sight or offer her sanctuary in their homes to hide her. When she had once asked the woman sheltering her, she had smiled a little embarrassed yet softly and said. “We are grateful to you.” As she poured Sakura some tea. “We do not wish you to come to harm, or to be taken from us due to those... those shinobi!” she spat the word like a curse, then set the tea-pot down and started to wring her hands.

 

“We are not able to fight, but you have offered us kindness, so we will do what we can to protect you.”

 

Sakura was touched. She really was, but she knew shinobi, knew how they operated and with the way the villages were buzzing about her deeds... it was only a matter of time. Maybe the shinobi didn't know that she could use chakra, but a competent healer would be invalueable during times like these.

 

She didn't say as much and simply smiled and thanked her, yet when she sipped at her tea she worried.

 

She could fight. She was strong. But she had no doubt that even her hand could be forced, if not due to simply being on her own, then maybe by threatening those too weak to protect herself. After several months on her own, even Sakura had started to form some fragile bonds in the villages she visited. Hitomi always offered her a warm welcome, and if someone threatened her or her children...

 

Sakura was alone and very aware of how vulnerable she was due to it. Nobody to rely on, nobody to watch her back. It is why she was so hesitant to get close to the villigers. To keep them safe from whatever enemies would eventually seek her out. And yet... she was lonely. She was human. She sometimes couldn't help herself.

 

She tried to avoid the skirmishes she could hear. She did. Nothing good would come out of getting involved in the mess that was the fighting in the middle of the warring clans era. She hadn't thought she would stay here for this long, but now more than half a year had passed. The leaves on the trees took on a golden to reddish hue, transforming to forest to a beautiful spectacle of colors.

 

Of course that is when the shinobi decided to battle it out right by the village she was visiting. Too close to avoid, much too close and all Sakura was able to do was snatch up two kids to drag with her. The civilians were running for shelter and Sakura carried her little burdens that had been out to play easily, handing them off at the first home she found before turning around to see if there were more people in need of help. Just because she was trying to avoid attention didn't mean she could turn her back on everything she had been raised to be. A shinobi of the village of the hidden leaves and any of these people that were in danger could be ancestors to her precious people, to the civilians she had sworn to protect.

 

Fire scorched the rooftops, the building catching fire and Sakura let out a scream of either fear or rage. Civilians scampered out of the suddenly burning home and a torrent of water washed over them, dragging them to their knees and throwing them over easily. Sakura felt her heart size in her chest when a small babe was ripped from the mothers arms, wailing pitifully but drowned out by the sounds of battle as shinobi jumped each other.

 

Without thinking on it, Sakura burst forward, gathering the kid up as quickly as she could before retreating, putting the babe back in the mothers outstretched arms and ushering the family away from danger, chakra swirling restlessly inside her, ready to be used but held firmly back.

 

Sakura was tugged inside the home they fled to. The mother was in hysterics, rocking her baby in her arms and carefully checking the wailing baby over frantically. Sakura knelt by her side and quickly looked the little girl over too. Aside from some bruises, she seemed fine, if rather frightened by the experiance.

 

“All is well.” she murmured to the mother as fire lit up through the window, making everyone around her flinch. She got to her feet and went over to the window, looking out.

 

Uchihas. Unmistakeably with ther black hair, similar clothing with a familiar red and white fan stitched on them and equally red eyes narrowed as they breathed fire at their opponents. But more than that...

 

Her heart sized again in fear.

 

Madara. Madara was here and opposing him...

 

Her breath faltered.

 

Hashirama.

 

Legends. She was witnessing history and it was terrifying, seeing the wood come alive, curling towards his enemy, bending to the will of a man alone, blocking strikes meant to kill, sword and fire alike. It was awe inspiring and she could see that the other shinobi were keeping their distance now, letting their leaders battle it out.

 

And then the warbling cry of a child interrupted the fight. A little boy still out on the street, in the middle of all that fighting and before she knew what was happening, Sakura had reached the door, knowing it was too late as fire already raced to consume the life offered greedily. She nearly ripped the door out of the hinges, only too see wood curl around the little form, shielding it from harm as fire ate into the wood, black and scorching. At the same time the fighting stilled for a moment and Sakura's eyes flew back to the pair that had been fighting.

 

Everything seemed to slow down. Madara was staring at Hashirama with wide, disbelieving eyes and Hashirama...

 

The sword had sliced through him as easily as butter. A moment of distraction. A second of shielding a child had left a little gap, a tiny break in Hashirama's undefeatable defence and Madara hadn't been able to pull the strike back in time, even if he had wanted to.

 

No.

 

No! This wasn't... this had never happened.

 

Sakura felt her heart pound wildly in her chest, panic welling up. Hashirama... what would happen if Hashirama died? What would happen to Konoha, to the villages??  
  
A hoarse scream of fury startled her out of it. Her mind already cataloguing the angle of the sword, the blood on Hashirama's lips. His lungs must have been pierced. If she didn't act now...! _Konoha...!!_  
  
She disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Then reappeared beside the little boy first, scooping him up and away from danger easily before disappearing again.

 

Madara startled at her sudden appearance, barely managing to dodge her punch but Sakura didn't need any more time than that. She winced when she noticed that Madara had dragged the sword out almost carelessly with his dodge, causing Hashirama to crumble to the ground coughing weakly. Sakura gripped her first Hokage by the back of his armour and heaved, easily dragging the man up and to her side. Already people were starting to move. Madara had overcome his initial surprise at her appearance and was ready to strike, even if he still seemed off balance from having managed to actually land a fatal blow on Hashirama. The Uchiha were surging forward to protect their leader and Sakura didn't doubt that the Senju were doing the same behind her.

 

For fucks sake, she had just done what she had spend months trying to avoid! And she had a child clinging to her side like a little chipmunk, hampering her movement with a dying shinobi drowning on his blood in her other.

 

She managed to manipulate her chakra for another Kawarimi, colours of red and orange swirling around her as she replaced herself.

 

Once.

 

Twice.

 

Thrice.

 

Her chakra was depleting with every jump she made but she couldn't afford to heal someone when there were enemies closing in on her location, ready to stab her and possibly her patient to death.

 

Sweat poured down her body before she finally deemed them far enough away.

 

Hashirama was unconscious by now. She put down the small boy first, before gently lowering the injured shinobi to the ground.

 

“It's okay little one. You are safe.” she tried to tell the crying child but her hands already glowed green over Hashirama's body. Bend over Sakura concentrated on the chakra in her hands, letting it flare up around her and analysing the wound that went through Hashirama's torso and reached from his ribs down to his stomach. It would be delicate work, especially since there was different tissue to regrow and organs to check for damage. She couldn't make a mistake, not in this, not when it could mean that the first Hokage of her beloved village could die and the consequences...

He was drowning on his own blood and Sakura couldn't let him die. She gritted her teeth. She had managed the impossible before! She refused to let it happen now, not when it could mean the ond of her village before it even came to be.  
  
“This is easy. I can do this.” she muttered fiercely, trying to convince herself as she simultaneously tried to heal the tear in the lung, the damage the sword had left behind, stop the internal bleeding and getting rid of the blood gathering in the lungs at a rapid rate. Usually she would have assistance for a case as bad as this, people keeping an eye on the other injuries, on his generel state in case something went wrong. Now, with her being alone, she had to split her attention. But she had been in a war, she knew that sometimes she didn't have the luxury and had learned the hard way that relying on others led to more dead than living.

 

In this case she couldn't allow herself failure. Her gaze cut to the crying boy beside her, who stared horrified at the bleeding wound. No child should see something like this.

 

“There is a steam nearby.” her hands left Hashirama but for a moment to undo the red band she used to tie back her sleeves.

 

“Take this and wet it. I will need it to clean up the wounds.” she nodded in the direction the kid would need to go. It would keep him busy and away from the gory sight, while hopefully he wouldn't get lost. She was sure she would be able to track down a stumbling civilian child in the wilderness though. The kid seemed to calm a little under her firm directions, snuffling pitifully and smearing snot all over the red band, but to be honest, Sakura didn't want him to see her cut her patient open to fix the damage.

 

The little boy... Takahiro? Or was it Tamashi? She wasn't entirely sure but she had helped him when he had an infection, disappeared in the direction she had pointed to. Sakura didn't waste any time, getting her knife out to cut open the clothing of the wounded shinobi in front of her.

 

Her hands flared a steady green, disinfecting the area before forming chakra scalpels as she got to work, cutting Hashirama further open to see where the worst damage was located first. It was easier to heal the skin afterwards than to operate blind.

 

Sakura worked as fast as she dared to. She cleaned the wound with her chakra, extracted the blood from the lungs and sealed up the cut before painstakingly moving on to the rest of the wound, knitting back together severed arteries, damaged muscles and keeping an eye on the blood pressure. Hashirama had lost a lot of blood, and Sakura was worried he might slip into shock. While she worked she kept a steady mumble up, as if someone was listening to her and handing her the tools.

 

“Closed the punctured lung. Removed the blood. Patient's breathing more stable but rapid. Blood pressure too low, risk of shock imminent.”

 

She wished she had anything to give him, to keep him from feeling the pain he was sure to be in. She could numb the areas she was working on with her chakra and keep the infection at bay the same way, but it was a temporary solution, gone as soon as she stopped pouring chakra into the man that was and would become a legend. She didn't have the medicines and poultries she would have liked to give him if she had been in a well-stocked hospital instead of the wilderness and even though she had some herbs and remedies on her person, none of it prepared her for a case as critical as Hashirama's. Her mind was already running over all the herbs she could think of to make some pain reliever, because Hashirama wouldn't be in a state to fight for a while, but most of them she didn't have on her person, hadn't found yet, simply were not local to the region or grew more during spring. Maybe Hashirama would be able to do something about his injured state, he was supposed to be good at healing after all. She didn't want to count on that though.

 

Still, the most dangerous parts of the operation were done and all she could do was close him up, check for internal bleeding and keep an eye on him for the time bein-

 

Before she could finish – or prepare herself – a rush of water ripped her away from her patient, making her collide heavily with a tree trunk and driving the air out of her at the collision, as water forced its way in, pressing against her with a furious strength she was helpless against in her surprise. Her body curled up on instinct due to the pain and to prevent more damage to her due to further attacks. A warm body collided with hers, even as she struggled to raise a defence. Her head hit the wood heavily, and before she could react an arm pinned her neck against the tree, threatening but not yet cutting off her airflow. Trembling from shock, she could feel the rough bark pressing into her back as the warm body crowded close to her, immobilizing her with his greater weight. Her hands itched to throw a proper punch, but cold steel pressing close to her skin, dangerously close to her jugular vein, just barely not cutting into her stopped her in her tracks.

 

Sakura weakly coughed out the water that had filled her mouth and nose, drenched head to toe and shivering due to the sudden cold shower she had just received, as well as the chakra depletion from all the healing she had just done. Dizzy with the shock and no small amount of fear and confusion that had her heart rabbiting in her chest she opened her tearing eyes, ignoring her wet hair clinging to her skin and staring into angry wine-red ones mere inches from her face, framed by almost heart-wrenchingly familiar hair that was just a nuance brighter than her former sensei's. It wasn't him. But staring at the angry visage of the second Hokage was not something Sakura had ever thought would happen to her.

 

“What,” Tobirama ground out angrily, digging the kunai closer to her throat and stilling any thought of escape Sakura might have entertained. “have you done to my brother.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just threw Sakura to the wolves :D Merry Christmas Sakura!! Enjoy the feast!
> 
> I considered posting it tomorrow, but since I will be posting an enitrely new story tomorrow as a gift-exchange, I couldn't resist to update this story a day early. I don't think anyone will mind! I hope :P


	5. Of Senjus, Cherry Blossoms and their tempers

“Let go.” Sakura hissed through chattering teeth, squirming a little but stilling when the kunai made a shallow cut at her throat. Her breathing turned flat, careful to not cause herself undue injury by accident. Her chakra was depleted enough that picking a fight with a legend like Tobirama Senju at his best probably wasn't the smartest idea, no matter how tempting it might be to punch him and take off running for the hills.

 

“I asked you a question, woman.” Tobirama's voice was as cold as it was sharp, clearly more eager to stab first and ask questions later.

 

For a moment nothing happened as they both silently stared at each other, assessing the threat of the other person. Sakura could feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Just like everyone else in her generation, she had grown up hearing about the feats Tobirama had accomplished, long before he had become Hokage. Feats he would accomplish, later in life. And yet Hashirama was still bleeding and-

 

The medic in Sakura swallowed down her fear mingled with rage. There was a patient that was slowly dying of blood loss, if she didn't get back to him soon. Arguing with Tobirama wouldn't make that happen any faster. It racked to back down, but Sakura wouldn't want Hashirama's death on her conscience due to stubbornness or pride. Never mind that she probably wouldn't live much longer, because Tobirama looked ready to murder her dead, even though all she had done was... well. Kidnap his mortally wounded brother from a battlefield to heal him, not that Tobirama knew that.

 

She doubted that anyone in this timeline would be able to surpass her in medical matters. Coming close to equal? Maybe. But they wouldn't find them quickly enough to save Tobirama's brother. Right now, Hashirama's survival was in Sakura's hands and she knew it.

 

“That man,” she said clinically, making a small nodding motion in Hashirama's direction. “Was about to die and still _will_ die if I do not close up the wound and monitor his state until he's stable again.”

 

Tobirama's eyes narrowed, the kunai cutting uncomforatbly closer to her skin as his eyes flicked over to his brother for a bare second, before settling back on her with a ferocious rage that made her freeze on instinct until she wasn't even sure she was still breathing.

 

“You cut him open.” Tobirama's voice was cold and stoic in his rage, but Sakura had worked with Kakashi and impassiveness was that man's second nature. If she could read Kakashi, she could probably read anyone, even if she had to work harder to see the signs in people she didn't know as much as her former sensei.

 

Tobirama was hard to peg down, but his eyes revealed the most: Rage, worry, fear, anger and a little bit of desperate hope. The last emotion was probably the only reason why he hadn't slit her throat yet.

 

“To heal.” Sakura replied evenly and opened her mouth to continue, but a high pitched scream interrupted her and Tobirama flinched, kunai flashing as a small bundle of brown hair and flailing limps launched itself at him. It was Sakura who caught his wrist in an iron grip before the kunai could cut the little boy open, fist clenched tight enough that Tobirama winced at her unnatural strength.

 

“Let Himiko go!” Tiny fists pounded against Tobirama's side, making him stumble an inch to the right with a frown marring his face. Probably more due to surprise than any strength involved.

 

It was a mere second of distraction and yet, Sakura didn't waste any time. With the threat of the kunai gone from her throat and Tobirama's wrist in her hand, she twisted and pulled, dragging him off balance and – using her unnatural strength to her advantage – managed to manoeuvrer him so he hit the ground hard, even though he already twisted to get out of her grip. A slap of her hand and the kunai went flying from his hand as Sakura struggled to pin the man to the ground. She twisted his limbs, her body working doubly hard to contain Tobirama's superior strength, adjusting to his movements as she worked on incapacating him with her smaller weight. Her tights quivered to immobilize his legs, trying to keep him from bucking her off or worse, reverse their positions.

 

He fought like a wild animal, not pulling any strength as he tried to kick. His punches were deadly strikes for anyone who wasn't as experienced as she had needed to learn to become. He was one of the most dangerous man she had ever encountered, but... the only one that had ever managed to make her vulnerable and helpless had been Sasuke. A weakness Sakura had sworn herself to never succumb to anymore. Not for Sasuke, nor for any other man on this world.

 

Tobirama's reflexes were finely honed, muscles cording with strength and chakra welling up like a beast ready to devour, but Sakura had struggled to keep up with the best of her generation, had fought in a war, against goddesses and while Tobirama was a legend...

 

Well, her own had only just started and she wasn't about to let him stop her now.

 

“Hold still!” Sakura hissed as he grabbed her by her hair and pressed her fingers viciously into a pressure point of his hand until he was forced to release her. A brutal elbow to her side left her winded, breath driven out by sheer force and ribs protesting the abuse, cracking ominously under the blow. Sakura found herself airborne and hitting the ground in quick succession, already rolling despite the pain to spring back to defend herself. Scrambling to get to her feet and covered in dirt her eyes widened as she saw Tobirama already going through hand signs and-

 

A blur of brown. Sakura screamed as the little boy stepped in front of her, arms outstretched and defiance and fear locking his tiny body in place. The kids eyes were pressed close, the small shoulders hunching, even as she lunged at him to cover the little body with her own. Chakra stirred in her, familiar and warm. It gathered, half prepared to release the seal on her forehead to heal the damage that Tobirama would unleash upon them. Maybe she could save them, maybe-

 

Seconds ticked by and slowly, Sakura dared to look over her shoulder to see Tobirama frozen, staring at them with a deep furrow in his brow but not finishing his technique.

 

Only then did she realize that her hands already glowed green on the boy, ready to start healing him, even if it would have killed her in the process. She knew she could have done it, sending out a healing pulse strong enough to fix whatever damage he would have taken, even as she succumbed to her own injuries. If Tobirama had pierced them both with his attack, there would have only been time enough to save one of them.

 

Sakura felt her chakra flicker and die as she took notice of its green glow. She felt cold with it's absence, shivering again as she drew the kid into her arms, half to shield the little life further and half to anchor her in reality. Sakura had quite a few brushes with death, yet never had she felt so alone as now, with the knowledge that she would die in a forest she called her home in another time, without anyone bearing witness. No chance to get back to where she belonged, her friends left to forever wonder what had become of her.

 

“You are a healer.”  
  
“No shit, detective.” Sakura muttered darkly, still tense with her senses high-wired and alarmed and adrenaline still rushing through her from the near miss and previous tussle. Wearily she eyed him until her gaze cut past him to Hashirama's pale and unconscious body. Tobirama followed her gaze, scowling fiercly and finally stepping to the side.

 

“Then do your work.”

 

_Anyone else,_ Sakura thought uncharitably, taking deep breaths to calm herself, _anyone else and she would punch the living daylights out of him._ But Hashirama was dying, and with his death he would take Konoha with him and...

 

If she was back in time in her own timeline, it would mean changing history forever. There might be no time for her _to return_ to.

If it was a different dimension, then maybe the hidden villages would never come to be, without Hashirama setting the groundwork. Would the clans continue to wage battles until nothing but ashes was left? Bringing an end to an era of shinobis, until all that was left was horror stories told to children?

It was unimaginable to her.

 

Sakura grit her teeth, a snarl on her lips as she rose with the kid in her arms, stomping past the white-haired menace that was still eyeing her suspiciously. She carefully put the boy down, consciously putting herself between the kid and Tobirama just in case as her hands rose to hover over Hashirama's body. Even in the few moments, Sakura noted with uneasiness, his condition had worsened again.

 

“One wrong move and I kill you.”

 

“I swear to god...” She muttered crankily under her breath, envisioning kicking him somewhere where it would hurt any man the most. “I think I know why he never had children.”

 

Taking another calming breath, her hands started to glow green again. She used it to rid her hands of any dirt and grime before she set to work once more. Her body felt cold and she was covered in mud, still wet and her chakra dropping steadily lower than she would like, especially with a dangerous shinobi at her back, probably watching her every move with a kunai readied to intervene.

 

A small warm weight settled into her side. The small boy curled up into her, ignoring her drowned state while watching her work with a fascination that only a child could show in face of such a gruesome wound at display. There was also exhaustion making his eyelids droop, the events catching up to him.

 

“Sleep.” She whispered to him, removing one hand to stroke his head and gently push his head down to her lap. “You are safe with me and I will return you to your village soon.”

 

His answering murmur was a mush of sounds she couldn't fathom the meaning of as her concentration returned to the arduous task of fixing Hashirama.

 

Healing he future Hokage took nearly everything of her though. Her chakra was dipping dangerously low, but Hashirama had started to wake up halfway through the process, still weak from blood-loss and watching her silently, though there was a strange trust in his eyes. Maybe he felt her help him. Or maybe he was just way too trusting of strangers. Sakura couldn't pinpoint which one it was, couldn't take her attention off the injuries long enough to ask. It was a slow, adorous task and Sakura's eyes were drooping from exhaustion as she pushed her limits to save a man who would become great. He fell back into unconsciousness before she finished though.

 

At the end she was nearly the same pallor as her patient, sweating and shivering from cold, hunger and feeling weak and dizzy from almost overusing her chakra, but Hashirama was stable. For now. She wiped the sweat of her bow, wincing as she clammy clothes peeled off her icy skin before chancing a look back to Tobirama, who was leaning against a tree and watching their surroundings. Feeling her gaze his eyes snapped back to her and he pushed off, prowling closer. Sakura scowled at him, posture tensing at his proximity but unwilling – and unable to be honest – to move. Not only because of the sleeping child in her lap but also because her legs were cramping and stiff from being in the same position for what felt like hours.

 

“I've done what I can.” Sakura muttered quietly, wearily watching Tobirama in case the paranoid shinobi decided that now was the time to get rid of her.

 

“He's stable, for now.” she wanted to curl up and sleep for a week, but showing weakness in front of a potential enemy? Yeah, no, she didn't have a death wish.

 

“For now?” Tobirama rounded on her, his eyes a bit wild and hand clenched tight around a kunai.

 

“What do you mean, _for now?_ ”

 

Sakura scoffed at his posturing.

  
“I mean that he lost a lot of blood and needs supervision until he's back to his feet. He needs rest, needs to take it easy and eat and drink and slowly build up his strength again! Honestly, sometimes I wonder how numbskulls like you survive! H- That man just got a sword though his gut and lung, what did you think would happen?”

 

“So he needs further care.” Tobirama concluded and Sakura nodded, happy to be rid of the problem right until Tobirama turned to her with a dangerous glint in his eye.

 

“We don't have a competent healer-”

 

“No.” Sakura said without waiting for him to finish, glowering up at him.

 

“I'm not joining a clan and I'm not going to be your private healer.”

 

He stared down at her, face expressionless except for the furrow on his brow.

 

“You won't last long alone.” he stated and Sakura felt herself bristle, even though she had the same concerns as him. Her situation was about to get a lot worse now that people knew she was out there.

Gently she shook the child's shoulder, rousing him from his sleep. He sat up, rubbing his eyes in confusion and lingering fear, before pressing close to her side again, clutching the still damp material of her haori. She was still wet though, and the clammy and cold feeling of her clothing wasn't comfortable, her skin chilled as evening set and slowly turned to night.

 

Slowly, painfully, she climbed to her feet, her legs prickling as blood started to circulate in her limbs again. The boy continued to cling to her stained clothing, half hiding behind her. She couldn't fault him, after nearly dying in a battle he shouldn't even have a part in. Twice. Her hand carded through his hair, trying to sooth him. His parents must be frantic with worry by now.

 

“I know. And yet I will not join any clan.” Sakura said defiantly, looking at the kid for a moment before raising her eyes back to Tobirama.

 

“You healing my brother will already make them think that you are affilated with us.”

 

“Your brother is not the first shinobi I healed.” Sakura contradicted, raising her chin in challenge but refusing to further explain who else she had helped.

 

“... they will not leave you be.” Tobirama sighed ominously. He sounded sure of himself. “You will be hounded and they will burn villages to get to you.” Sakura shivered. Maybe it was the cold, maybe it was the imagination of the villages she had been helping being destroyed because of her. All her hard work to gain their trust, but after showing her hand, showing them she was _**shinobi**_ herself... who would trust her after that? Who would she go to for trade? It was frustrating, but at least she had ammassed enough necessities that she would get by on her own, if it came to that. She could hunt, and she knew how to survive in the wild. But... she was alone. She felt a familiar burning sensation in her eyes, and bit her lip. She would not cry. She wanted to, but she wouldn't!

 

“And you think you are so much better?” She bit out between clenched teeth, watching him bristle and feeling the strong urge to laugh. If anyone had a right to be offended, it was the innocent bystanders that got caught in between the fighting, like the child hiding behind her.

 

“From my point of view...” Sakura said with a savage smile on her lips and tears glistening in her eyes. “You are the same coin. Just opposite sides. But the same value nonetheless.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh, I would have waited a bit longer before updating this story again. But [justanothercatgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanothercatgirl) seems to appreciate this story and I wanted to help motivate her a little, so it's a bit earlier than planned ;D
> 
> Don't think you mind? ♥

**Author's Note:**

> My first Warring-States Story. I've just uploaded a second that you might want to check out if you already liked Misplaced Reality: [Vortex of Change](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17557241/chapters/41375603)  
> They have nothing to do with each other, aside from me throwing Sakura back in time and see her struggle to survive *rubs hands*


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